Lastest AFC South Rumors Heading Into the 2014 NFL Draft

By Jonathan Munshaw on Wednesday, May 7th 2014
Lastest AFC South Rumors Heading Into the 2014 NFL Draft

The AFC South could be the most interesting team in this year’s NFL draft. There are three teams from the division in the top 11 picks (although Indianapolis doesn’t have a pick until No. 59 overall), including the Houston Texans at No. 1 and Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 3.

Tennessee also has a lot of flexibility at the 11th spot, with the ability to either trade up in the draft to get a more talented player, or trade back to stockpile picks. With this many high picks, there are bound to be a number of rumors surrounding the possible outcomes on Thursday night, so let’s break down which ones mean the most to each team in one of the worst divisions in football.

 

Indianapolis Colts

This will just be easier if we get the most boring team out of the way first. The Colts traded away their first round pick to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for Trent Richardson, so now they don’t pick until late in the second round. Overall, they only have five total picks in this year’s draft.

But, there are some holes on Indianapolis’s roster that deserved to be addressed. The most obvious need is at center. Mike Wells, who covers the Colts for ESPN.com, said the team will “keep their options open” at center, leaving the door open for them to draft someone with their first pick.

Indy released last year’s starting center Samson Satele, and Phil Costa retired in April, leaving Khaled Holmes and Thomas Austin as the only two centers on the roster, along with the flexible Donald Thomas, who’s season last year was plagued with injuries.

Another option early in the draft is to take a wide receiver, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star, who said general manager Ryan Grigson was open to trying to trade up in the draft to take a receiver, given that Hakeem Nicks and Reggie Wayne’s contracts both expire at the end of 2015.

 

Tennessee Titans

A number of teams who are picking later in the draft, mainly the San Francisco 49ers, could be potential trade partners for the Titans if they want to move back for more picks. Rather than going directly for a big name, team general manager Ruston Webster told Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com that he is balancing immediate needs with what the team needs could be in 2015.

Michael Oher could get out of his deal after one year and fellow offensive lineman Michael Roos also has an expiring deal, making an offensive tackle a possibility for Tennessee.

They also George Wilson on an expiring deal, Bernard Pollard who only has two seasons left, and Michael Griffin, who can make up to $14.4 million combined in the next two years. Kuharsky lists Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Louisville’s Calvin Pryor as both possibilities for the Titans because of these expiring deals and the fact that they’ve visited the Titans leading up to the draft.

And, as always, there’s the issue of quarterback for the Titans. Last week, they announced they wouldn’t pick up the 2015 contract option on Jake Locker who has been inconsistent at best and always seems to be hurt. It’s still worth giving Locker another chance to show something to Tennessee, so a first round quarterback is unlikely, but don’t be surprised if in the fourth or fifth round they go with a best-available quarterback to sit behind Locker for a year and be a possible solution if they let Locker walk next offseason.

 

Houston Texans

What do we know about the Texans at No. 1 overall? Nothing, really. Everyone has their different choice at this time about who the team will select with the top selection, and there’s no real buzz around who has the best chance to go.

Chris Burke of Sports Illustrated lists five different scenarios the Jaguars could take, including going with a safer pick in Jadaveon Clowney or Khalil Mack, taking a quarterback, going with either of the two best offensive tackles (Greg Robinson or Jake Matthews), trading back or even going with a surprise pick in Sammy Watkins or Aaron Donald.

Burke lists the Atlanta Falcons as the most likely option to want to trade up in an effort to get Clowney, which would put Houston back at sixth and in a position then to maybe take a quarterback a little later in the first round with less risk. But, again, every mock draft is different.

Peter King of The MMQB has them going with Mack, while our experts have them slated for Clowney.

Something else worth noting is that Lance Zierlein of Sports Talk 790 in Houston reported on Tuesday that the Texans would have taken Marcus Mariota with the No. 1 overall pick this year if he chose to come out of Oregon. This could mean the Texans will wait a year on their franchise quarterback to see if they can get Mariota, or it just shows their overall disinterest in tis year’s crop of quarterbacks.

 

Jacksonville Jaguars

Although Jacksonville’s biggest need right now seems to be at the quarterback position, it’s doubtful they’ll target one in the first round. Jacksonville already gave Chad Henne an extension and basically named him the starter for 2014, and team owner Shad Khan told the Associated Press that the Jags are looking for several starters (i.e. Mack or Watkins) and not just a quarterback.

But, like Houston, there’s no clear selection for Jacksonville at No. 3. ESPN”s NFL Nation mock draft has them taking Mack, we have them going with Watkins, and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. said the Jaguars have the best system for Johnny Manziel, but it would “genuinely surprise” him if the Jags ended up going with him at No. 3.

Texans A&M’s offensive tackle Jake Matthews is also in play here, who worked out with Jacksonville just one week prior to the draft, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com.

For later in the draft, the Jaguars will definitely be looking for a receiver if they don’t nab Watkins with the third pick. DiRocco also reported that the team isn’t expecting anything from Justin Blackmon this season, who is suspended indefinitely due to a third failed drug test.

They have Cecil Shorts, but getting Watkins or another speedy guy later on, it would go a long way in helping Henne — or whoever is playing quarterback. 

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